The Health in South Africa Winter Break Program is intended for UGA students who plan to pursue careers in healthcare and work actively toward that goal. In this program, the participants will have the opportunity to learn about the South African healthcare system—and how it differs from ours—through guest lectures, tours of healthcare facilities, and shadowing opportunities with clinicians. In addition to these experiences, participants will enroll in one UGA course: BIOL 4910 Topics in Biology (Health and Healthcare in South Africa), 3 credit hours.
PROGRAM APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN ON JANUARY 29TH, 2025
This program runs from December 11 – December 23, 2025.
The program departs South Africa on December 23rd and arrives in the US on December 24th, 2025.
Please note that you need to double check with your college that they have approved this activity for Experiential Learning Credit on engage.uga.edu. If you do not see this listed, speak with your academic advisor to confirm whether or not this program will count for EL.
The Health in South Africa Winter Break Program is intended for UGA students who plan to pursue careers in healthcare and work actively toward that goal. In this program, the participants will have the opportunity to learn about the South African healthcare system—and how it differs from ours—through guest lectures, tours of healthcare facilities, and shadowing opportunities with South African clinicians and community healthcare workers. In addition to these experiences, participants will enroll in one UGA course: BIOL 4910 Topics in Biology, 3 credit hours. The course will meet for one hour each week during the fall semester 2025. Attendance is part of the grade, and thus it is required.
The objective of this program is to help pre-health students to:
- gain perspective on international healthcare
- grow in cultural awareness and sensitivity
- gain clinical exposure in another culture
- reflect on ways to communicate with people from different backgrounds
- broaden their undergraduate experience through meaningful professional and personal interactions
- gain significant experience in the world beyond the classroom
- grow in flexibility, cooperation, and self-reliance
- become more well-rounded applicants for professional graduate healthcare programs
This program offers our students an ethical healthcare-centered shadowing option that meets AAMC ethics guidelines.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Program participants will be required to attend pre-departure orientations and academic meetings in the fall semester.
- Students applying for this program are eligible to apply for the OGE GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.
HEALTH CARE SITES:
(1) Visit and Lecture at UCT/Groote Schuur Hospital – Attached to the University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine
(2) Macassar Public Health NGO
(3) Life Vincent Pallotti hospital
Itinerary – Subject to Change
WINTERBREAK 2025 itinerary forthcoming
